Toko V and Village Kitchen to Call it Quits on March 29

Highland Park Village duo Toko V and Village Kitchen are throwing in the towel. Both restaurants will shutter at the end of this month, several months shy of either's first birthday. D's Nancy Nichols says owner Twomey Concepts "plan[s] to hang on to [chef Andre] Natera and relocate," while CraveDFW reports that the company "will focus on locations that are productive, such as Common Table and a yet to be announced project." (UPDATE: Nichols sends word that the restaurants will actually close on March 29, not March 30 as originally stated.)

The space that's now Toko V and Village Kitchen began its life as Marquee Grill & Bar back in 2011 with hunky Top Chef alumnus Tre Wilcox in the kitchen and cocktail whisperer Jason Kosmas behind the bar. As Nichols points out, the restaurant later modified the menu to be "more approachable" and "confused customers by switching the name to Village Marquee Texas Grill & Bar" in 2012.

Wilcox departed to be a personal chef and Natera was hired on in early 2013, shortly before it was announced that Marquee would transform into two fresh new concepts, the Asian fusion Toko V and kid-friendly, elevated American spot Village Kitchen.

It's curious that Twomey's twin concepts couldn't draw enough business to stay afloat in a shopping center that supports such high-dollar shopping destinations as Chanel and Jimmy Choo; perhaps the concepts just didn't resonate with the Highland Park Village crowds as much as say, nearby stalwart Cafe Pacific.

· Village Kitchen and Toko V in Highland Park Village to Close [SideDish]
· Highland Park Village Loses Two Restaurants and a Bar [CraveDFW]

[Photo: Garrett Hall/EDFW]